Limitations
by SanadaSayuri
Summary: After successfully retrieving Inoue from Las Noches, Ichigo returns home, only to recieve startling news that would change his life forever....
1. Prologue

Kurosaki Ichigo was only the slightest bit concerned when his body started slowing down and the slightest exertion left him fatigued. He first noted the changes in his movements and bodily functions a little more than a month after his first meeting with Kuchiki Rukia, attributing the fatigue to having to readjust to a physical body after spending time outside of it.

The first real sign that something was going terribly wrong inside his body appeared towards the end of his training with the Vizards, when upon re-entry of his body, Ichigo immediately fell victim to a long coughing fit which left him out of breath and his throat sore and his entire body tight and aching. Ichigo had no chance to contemplate this latest change, as he had discovered Inoue Orihime was missing, and he immediately set out to retrieve her from Aizen's fortress. Ichigo would never realize that the Vizards, concerned by the coughing fit, and spoken with Urahara, who had spoken to his father, leading Isshin to examine his son's body only to make a startling discovery…

**Sanada Sayuri Presents:**

"**Limitations"**

**Disclaimer:** The plot and characters of BLEACH is the intellectual property of Tite Kubo. Sanada Sayuri has no claim over the characters or plot of BLEACH and makes no profit off this work of fiction.

**Summary: **It was a little known fact that Kurosaki Ichigo's body was weak to begin with. The sudden death of Kurosaki Masaki led a young Ichigo to fight tooth and nail to overcome that weakness so he could protect the people he loved, and by the time he turned fifteen, he had emerged victorious over his body's weakness. And then he met Kuchiki Rukia. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever imagine the long term effect that this meeting with would have on his life…

**Note:** AU. Completely disregards recent chapters of BLEACH.

The last thing Ichigo expected when he entered his room through his window, was to find his father sitting at his bedside, holding his body's hand.

"It's about time you got back," Isshin said gravely.

"Wha-? Dad?!" Ichigo frowned, "Wait, you can see me?!"

Isshin pursed his lips in displeasure as he gently set Ichigo's hand on the bed and stood up. "I've always been able to see," he said, "I was a shinigami captain once, you know. All I wanted was for you and your sisters to live a normal life without the Elders and the other nobility dictating your every move and waiting for you to slip up. I never wanted you to become a shinigami for several reasons, but now you're reaping the results."

Ichigo was becoming seriously worried now. "What are you talking about old man?" the teen demanded irritably, "You're not making any sense."

"Your body is overstressed, Ichigo," Isshin said, "and your jumping in and out of your body isn't helping matters. If nothing else, it's weakening your heart and lungs and speeding the deterioration of your body. You're dying, Ichigo."

The red head felt his insides turn to ice at his father's declaration. "What?"

Isshin sighed and said, "You know that your body wasn't very strong to start with. And over the years, you made remarkable progress in overcoming that handicap. Admittedly, Kisuke, Yoruichi and I gave you some help in the form of Kidou healing, but without it, you would never have reached the point you did. But then after you met the Kuchiki girl, we didn't dare do anything that would make her suspicious. As a result, your body lacks the boost that the healing gave it, and is becoming damaged by the shock of your leaving and re-entering your body."

Isshin paused and said softly, "I have family in Seireitei. If you want, I can send them a message and they can take care of you. Kisuke is already working on a way to allow you and your friends to keep your memories after you die anyway. If you choose to let things take their course, I'm sure Aniki will be more than happy to take you in. We can stop the deterioration and keep your body in its current state, but you'll need to be very careful what you do and eat, or we can bring the Inoue girl over and eliminate the weakness altogether."

Ichigo swallowed hard. Why was this happening? Everything had been going so well… Why was everything falling apart? Isshin, seeming to recognize his son's distress, placed a comforting hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

"I don't know how much longer you have," the former captain said, "A few months at best, if you go on as you have, a little more if you're careful. Think about your options boy, and let me know when you've decided."

Ichigo nodded numbly and hopped off the windowsill as Isshin left the room. The teen turned and stared at his body, currently animated by Kon. It was strange, was that body of his really dying? There seemed no difference now from what he normally saw in the mirror. Was it really possible that the next time he stood over his body in the future, that it would be a gigai instead of the human body he had been born in?

Outside, thunder rumbled as the low hanging clouds released their load in the form of rain….

* * *

TBC...

* * *

**I really shouldn't let my plot bunnies get the best of me, but I really couldn't help it. I have so many ideas, and now that classes have been over for two weeks, and classes won't start for another two weeks, I suddenly have an excess of time and energy. It doesn't help that my muses seem to churn out more plot bunnies when I'm working with my cousins. It's gotten to the point where I have a notebook and pen with me, and I scribble scenes and ideas as they come.**

**I'm many things, but I'm not mentally deficient, so for the time being, please enjoy what little I have posted for Limitations and Breaking Points. Once Deragonmaji and I are done with BLEACHed Elements and I have finished at least Soundscape, which of all my stories is the closest to being finished, and have posted up to at least the revised _Chapter 10 _of Mended Hearts, I will think about continuing these stories.**

**On the other hand, if anyone would like to work on Breaking Points and Limitations while waiting, please feel free to do so. Drop me a PM or a review to let me know when you post. I _will_ be continuing this story, just not now.**

**Your most eager to please authoress,**

**Sanada Sayuri**

Sanada Sayuri


	2. Chapter 1: Choices

**Title:** Limitations

**Disclaimer:** The plot and characters of BLEACH is the intellectual property of Tite Kubo. Kunoichi Yumemi has no claim over the characters or plot of BLEACH and makes no profit off this work of fiction.

**Summary: **It was a little known fact that Kurosaki Ichigo's body was weak to begin with. The sudden death of Kurosaki Masaki led a young Ichigo to fight tooth and nail to overcome that weakness so he could protect the people he loved, and by the time he turned fifteen, he had emerged victorious over his body's weakness. And then he met Kuchiki Rukia. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever imagine the long term effect that this meeting with would have on his life…

**Note:** AU. Completely disregards recent chapters of BLEACH.

Chapter 1

Ichigo sat on the roof watching the moon as it moved across the night sky, mentally cataloguing the aches and the stiffness in his body while waiting for the heaviness of his limbs to vanish. As the moon drifted lower on the horizon, he finally realized what it was he was feeling: it was the weakness that he had always associated with his childhood, the same feeling he had always lived with in the time before his mother had died was settling into him again, weighing down his limbs and tightening his chest with every breath he took. Ichigo caught a flutter of black and out of the corner of his eye and he turned to see the imposing figure of Zangetsu looking up at the moon.

"_You knew this would happen from the very first time you felt your body slow down and become more easily fatigued, Ichigo. You knew, but you simply did not acknowledge that fact,"_ the Zanpakuto said quietly.

"What will happen to me?" Ichigo asked his Soul's Sword.

"_That is for you to decide," _Zangetsu said, _"and you already know what comes after death. There is nothing to fear."_

"And the Hollow?"

"_Who knows?"_

"It's not fair." Ichigo closed his eyes.

"_Your father has kin in Soul Society,"_ Zangetsu prompted gently.

"I suppose I should meet my relatives before I make any decisions, huh?"

* * *

A hell butterfly fluttered through the air of Seireitei. Few shinigami paid it any notice, and as it flew through the Thirteenth Division Offices, the hell butterfly passed in front of Kuchiki Rukia's face as she prepared to leave for her lunch break. She paid the butterfly no notice, never knowing that the butterfly bore news that would bring a heavy burden onto the shoulders of the Gotei 13, for they constantly took advantage of a young man who's conscience would not allow him to tell them no, and as a result, his life was drawing to a surprisingly early end.

* * *

Kyouraku Shunsui was in the Thirteenth Division Offices, enjoying a quiet discussion with his childhood friend when a hell butterfly interrupted him as he waxed eloquent about the virtues of his younger brother's son and the boy's successes while Ukitake Jyuushirou nodded and smiled while filling out a stack of paperwork. Neither man was inclined to say any ill about the boy as he _had_ earned all the praises that Shunsui showered him with and then some.

Shunsui in the meantime was listening to the hell butterfly as it relayed its message.

Jyuushirou looked up when he felt his friend's reiatsu fluctuate and reflect surprise, grief and something akin to horror and was surprised to see that Shunsui's face had lost all color.

"Shunsui?" the sickly captain asked tentatively.

"He's dying…" Shunsui whispered.

"Who?"

"That sweet, headstrong, ridiculously powerful boy…" The Eighth Division Captain looked at his friend, his eyes sad, "Ichigo is dying and Isshin is asking if I would be willing to take him in after the child's body dies…."

"Ichigo-kun?" Ukitake asked, perplexed, "That very same Ichigo-kun whom you can't seem to stop talking about whenever he does some great service for Seireitei? That very same Ichigo-kun is dying before he even turns sixteen?"

"Yes."

* * *

Ichigo did not attend school the next day, or the day after that, in fact, for the two weeks after the entire ordeal in Hueco Mundo, Ichigo did not attend school. When he finally did attend school, he first went into the Principle's office and made his way over to the nurse's office. At lunch, he drew Sado aside and spoke to him quietly, the larger boy nodding periodically, and at the end of the day to many people's surprise, Ishida Uryuu's especially, a sleek black car arrived in front of the school, and in the front seat was one Ishida Ryuuken, who ushered both his son and godson into the car quickly and drove away. It was not until they arrived at the hospital and Ryuuken began snapping orders for a series of tests that Ishida Uryuu realized that his rival on both the academic and supernatural stages had pushed his health too far and was dying.

* * *

In Seireitei, Kyouraku Shunsui was preparing for a week long foray into the living world. Accompanying him would be Unohana Retsu and his Vice-Captain, Ise Nanao. Of the three, only Nanao was unaware of the reason behind this excursion, and neither captain would answer when she asked. As the three shinigami stepped through the Senkaimon into the living world, they were immediately greeted by a grave looking Urahara.

"The boy is at Ryuuken's," was the first words out of the exiled Captain's mouth, immediately followed by a quiet, "He's in a bad way, and Isshin is concerned that if things are allowed to drag on too long, his health might start to mirror Ukitake's."

Shunsui's face was serious as he said quietly, "It won't happen. I'll sever his soul chain before it happens, and besides, that's what Unohana-san is here to prevent, right?"

Unohana nodded, her face still serene, "I'll do my best for the child."

Nanao could only look from one captain to the other in confusion. Who exactly were they talking about? Obviously whomever it was, was important—Important and very young, otherwise why would they send two captains and have two other former captains concerned for him?

* * *

After all the necessary examinations were done, and Ryuuken had gathered samples of blood and urine for testing, he took the two boys to dinner before dropping Ichigo off at his house.

* * *

Ise Nanao was confused as she followed the two Captains down the streets of Karakura and toward a two story building with a sign reading "Kurosaki Clinic." Exactly why were they in the human world, and why at this place which bore the Substitute Shinigami's family name? What did this unusual mission have to do with the Substitute Shinigami anyway? The glass double doors of the clinic had a sign that read, "Closed" and through the glass, she could see a shadowy figure sitting at a desk flipping through a file.

Her captain stepped confidently toward the door and pushed it gently, and nodded in satisfaction as it swung open easily. The three shinigami stepped inside, and Nanao felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight of the former Tenth Division Captain.

"Well now, brother," Shunsui said, "Where is my nephew?"

Isshin smiled slightly and said, "I'm sure Kisuke already told you, Aniki. Ichigo's at Ryuuken's."

"What?" Nanao gasped.

Shunui turned toward his Vice-Captain and said quietly, "Kurosaki Ichigo is my nephew, Nanao-chan, and recent events have taken a toll on his health. His human body is dying."

Nanao could only gape in shock. Kurosaki Ichigo? Kyouraku-Taichou's nephew? Dying? But the boy was just a child! How could this be?! No, this was just another joke, a very poor, tasteless joke between the two brothers, right? She looked from the faces of the three Captain Level Shinigami and noted the solemn expression each wore. No, this was not a joke…

Nanao could only do one thing, unbecoming of a Vice-Captain or not, she fainted.

* * *

Ichigo had sensed the three shinigami the moment he was within two blocks of his house. While he didn't know to whom the three reiatsu belonged to, he could easily tell that one had reiatsu very similar to his father's and correctly deduced that his father's brother had arrived from Soul Society.

"Well," he said to himself, "I was going to ask Dad to introduce me to his brother at some point anyway…"

And so he opened the door and braced to dodge his father's attack if it came, though none ever came, and he stepped inside and blinked in surprise to see the faces of Unohana Retsu, Ise Nanao (who was wearing a somewhat bemused expression), and Kyouraku Shunsui turned toward him. The three shinigami were sitting at the table with his father, cups of steaming tea in front of the four. The teen was flabbergasted. He was related to one of the Senior Officers of the Gotei 13?

"Um… Tadaima?"

"Okaeri," Isshin said solemnly. "What did Ryuuken say?"

Ichigo blinked. "Ishida-sensei said that we'll know more when the results of the blood and urine tests come in, but for now if I avoid leaving my body as much as possible and regulate what I eat and drink, I can possibly keep my body from deteriorating too quickly."

Isshin nodded, "To be expected. In either case, as you might already be aware, we have guests from Seireitei. You have already met Unohana-Taichou from the Fourth Division, and my older brother, your uncle, Kyouraku Shunsui of the Eighth Division, and his Vice-Captain, Ise Nanao."

Ichigo's still wearing a befuddled expression, bowed to the three shinigami and muttered a greeting.

Isshin nodded and said, "I'm assuming Ryuuken already took you to dinner?" Ichcigo nodded and Isshin replied drolly, "Go do your homework then. From now on, you're spending your lunch hour in the school infirmary, I've arranged with Unohana-san to have a member of the Fourth there, and when school ends, you will go straight to Urahara Shoten. Ise-Fuku-Taichou will meet you there and she'll get you up to speed in terms of your Shinigami training after school. No matter what you choose, you'll now be officially recognized as a Son of House Kyouraku, and it's about time I started raising you as a proper scion of nobility."

Ichigo could only blink in confusion, but still, no matter how confused he was, the manners drilled into his head by his mother kicked in, and he bowed wordlessly and went to his room, the very picture of an obedient son.

Unohana sighed, "It seems you're in a difficult position, Isshin," she said mildly.

Isshin's eyes were dark as he exchanged a look with his brother. "Yes," he agreed, "And the Soutaichou will not be pleased when he realizes exactly how much of Ichigo's vast power is his by right of blood and that up until recently, it was uncontrolled. But circumstances change, and the next time Ichigo enters Seireitei or faces Aizen, it will have to be as a Scion of Kyouraku born and raised, and not a half trained human child, irregardless of whether his body is dead or not."

"This will certainly throw Byakuya-bo off," Shunsui said with forced levity, "Especially when he realizes he has been putting down a member of the nobility--A member of the lesser nobility, true, but nobility nevertheless. He'll especially froth at the mouth when he realizes that Ichigo is the son of the man who initially nominated him for captaincy."

Unohana smiled gently and Isshin smirked.

* * *

Ise Nanao wondered exactly how she ended up being relegated to teaching her captain's nephew the finer art of being a shinigami. This was not what she signed up for when she became a Vice-Captain. But then again, she hadn't signed up to be a Vice-Captain to nag at her Captain to do his paperwork either.

Of course, as she soon as she stepped out of the Senkaimon into the basement of Urahara Shoten, she was whisked away by Shihouin Yoruichi who was regaling her with the impossible denseness of the boy and how slow on the uptake he was. Perhaps that had something to do with her resigned nature to what seemed to be yet another impossible task set to her by her crazy captain and his equally crazy brother. Then Yoruichi utterly confused her by ending the semi-gossip session by telling Nanao that the boy was a good student and worked hard at everything, and in some cases, if guided properly, had a tendency to completely throw off the learning curve.

Yoruichi grinned and patted Nanao's shoulder. "Ichigo should be getting out of school about now. Good luck, Nanao."

In the shop above, a clock chimed.

Nanao wondered exactly what it was that her Captain had just gotten her into.

* * *

The Noble Houses of Seireitei was a frantic hive of activity, and many were bewildered to realize that a good portion of that activity was centered on House Kyouraku. Few knew that a Scion of the House Kyouraku would soon be presented officially to the Noble Houses, and only House Kyouraku was aware that the child in question was in the Human World, and would possibly be joining them as his human body was failing.

* * *

Ichigo glanced out the window of the Health Office once again and watched wistfully as his classmates ran the track below. About a week ago, they had found out that strenuous activity would have him dizzy at best, nauseous and coughing up blood at worst, and to his embarrassment, it had taken place during Physical Education in front of his peers. It had been Isane-san who had swooped down onto the track, dressed in a black pantsuit with a normal physician's lab coat, and had Ichigo carted away into the Health Office. The Substitute Shinigami had been excused from Physical Education classes ever since.

"Are you bored, Kurosaki-san?" Isane asked from behind him.

"Somewhat," the teen answered.

The Fourth Division Vice-Captain stood at the window and looked down at the exercising students and said, "It might not be any of my business, but perhaps you should consider your choices, Kurosaki-san," Isane said. "Soul Society will become your permanent residence at some point in the future, irregardless of what you choose now. But Kurosaki-san, consider this; the longer your body is allowed to stagnate at an in between point, neither failing nor recovering, the greater the chances that your illness will transfer over to your spiritual form."

Ichigo sighed. "I know that." He stared morosely at the track. Really, didn't he already know that? Because of his illness, he was not allowed to leave his body for any reason unless Unohana was present. This meant Hollow hunting was out of the question, and now with recent developments, most physical activities were no longer allowed. This meant that Ichigo was bored, and once he had finished the assigned work from his classes, he would then start on the assignments given to him by Nanao. Isane would assist him with his attempt to hone his control over his reiryouku and sometimes explained things that confused him in his readings from Soul Society given to him by his father and uncle, obtained through Yoruichi, with recommendations from Byakuya and Ukitake, though the Sixth Division Captain was as of yet unaware to whom the recommended readings were being delivered, but the bulk of his shinigami education was, for the most part, in Nanao's hands.

Isane glanced at the orange haired teen in concern. She was experienced enough with Ukitake-Taichou to know that the Thirteenth Division Captain felt cooped up and helpless when his body was weakened to the point where practically all activity was forbidden. If Ukitake-Taichou, whose own innate disposition would not allow him to complain would still express the discomfort and cabin fever in his own subtle way, she could only imagine how Kurosaki Ichigo must feel. He was still young, barely a child out of childhood, and just nearing the cusp of adulthood. To bear the brunt of this illness, and to be cooped up while his companions ran and played ball and his own spiritually aware friends and his shinigami comrades hunted Hollows… The teen was undoubtedly bored, restless, and more than a little envious of his more active peers.

* * *

Unohana stepped back and stripped off her gloves, her face serene, though her eyes were troubled. "If you were going to make a choice about your future, Kurosaki-san," the Fourth Division Captain said quietly, "Now would be the time. You are nearing the point where your illness may begin to transfer over to your spiritual form if left untreated for too long."

Ichigo glanced at his father, but if he was hoping for Isshin to make his decisions for him as he had in his childhood, Ichigo was sorely disappointed. Isshin's face, while inscrutable, said quite clearly that this was Ichigo's decision, and that the former captain would have no part in it. Ichigo swallowed and closed his eyes. He had known this would happen, and he had known that the illness had already begun to transfer over to his spiritual form. Zangetsu had warned him that if things continued for much longer, even his spiritual form would fall prey to the illness, and he would fall into a situation similar to that of Ukitake Jyuushirou, a powerful Shinigami, whose powers were near unlimited and whose ability to fight was limited only by the strength of his body. Ichigo opened his eyes.

"I think," he said quietly, "that maybe I should see both sides of the spectrum before I make any serious decisions…"

Isshin nodded, and Unohana smiled.

"I thought you would feel that way," the former captain said, "and House Kyouraku has been preparing for you to take residence in the estate."

Unohana said gently, "I have already compiled a report for the Soutaicho. If you like, Kurosaki-san, I can send off a preliminary report now, and take you through the Senkaimon, and you can sit in on the Senior Officers' meeting while I explain the situation."

Ichigo nodded in agreement and felt his spirits lift. While most physical activities were forbidden to him for fear of causing his health and body to deteriorate farther, his simple presentation to Seireitei as a son of the House Kyouraku would cause enough chaos for him to play a few mind games with people. That would have to be enough. Ichigo's lips stretched in a predatory smile. His physical difficulties aside, the orange haired teen just knew that he was going to have a lot of fun at Seireitei's expense.

Unohana and Isshin exchanged a look.

"I have never seen him smile like that before, Isshin. Should we be worried?" Unohana asked.

Isshin chuckled, "I won't worry, but you probably should. It seems you'll be treating a lot of headaches pretty soon."

Unohana looked from her former colleague to the Substitute Shinigami, her eyes showing some concern. "Oh, dear…"

The two male Kurosakis laughed.

* * *

TBC….

**SanadaSayuri:**** Hi there, it's me again. Let's see, what's a good way of putting this? I live! XD Anyway, school has started and life has settled down somewhat, and so in celebration, I present to you the long awaited chapter 1 for "Limitation"! –Applause— I am working on the newest chapter for Soundscape and Breaking Points, but it has been slow going.**

**Anyway, about BLEACHed Elements… I'm still waiting for a response from Deragonmaji, and knowing what school is like, I'm not gonna pressure her. Updates will continue to be sparse as I have lots of homework and projects to get through, and if rumors are to be believed, Mom and I might be moving again soon. Well, either way, updates will be scarce. It's like the Law of Supply and Demand with time being the object Supplied, and readers waiting for an update being the Demanded. When supply goes up, so to does demand. Likewise, when my free time goes up, the more frequent updates will be, barring outside variables such as life and inspiration.**

**Well, I've gotta go. Please leave a review!**


	3. Chapter 2: Bemusement

Kurosaki Ichigo was only the slightest bit concerned when his body started slowing down and the slightest exertion left him fa

**Title:** Limitations

**Disclaimer:** The plot and characters of BLEACH is the intellectual property of Tite Kubo. Kunoichi Yumemi has no claim over the characters or plot of BLEACH and makes no profit off this work of fiction.

**Summary: **It was a little known fact that Kurosaki Ichigo's body was weak to begin with. The sudden death of Kurosaki Masaki led a young Ichigo to fight tooth and nail to overcome that weakness so he could protect the people he loved, and by the time he turned fifteen, he had emerged victorious over his body's weakness. And then he met Kuchiki Rukia. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever imagine the long term effect that this meeting with would have on his life…

**Note:** AU. Completely disregards recent chapters of BLEACH.

**A/N:** Wow! I'm really pleased with the turnout for this story! In anycase, unlike many of my other stories, Limitations was never meant to be an epic, and so I am both pleased and sorry to announce that this story is drawing to a close. Including the epilogue and excluding this chapter, we have two more to go! Now, please enjoy the story.

Chapter 2

Ichigo was surprisingly well behaved as he entered the Senkaimon with Unohana and Isane. He was the very picture of a proper son of the nobility as he bowed and greeted Shunsui who was waiting on the other side for his nephew, his Vice-Captain standing quietly behind him. Ise Nanao noted wryly that the teenager's control over his reiryouku had improved. Hopefully, everything would turn out alright.

* * *

Shunsui watched smugly as Byakuya's eyes widened slightly in surprise as Unohana explained Ichigo's health problems, and he stated quite calmly that should the teen choose to allow his illness to run its course, he would gladly take over as the primary guardian of his younger brother's only son once Ichigo arrived in Soul Society. The Eighth Division Captain noted with some amusement as Ichigo's lips twitched slightly at the gathered shinigami's surprise, though his face did not change from the prescribed bland mask of the aristocracy.

* * *

The news spread through Seireitei like wildfire. Kurosaki Ichigo was the eldest child and only son of the former Eleventh Captain of the Tenth Division, Kyouraku Isshin, the younger brother to the current Eighth Division Captain, Kyouraku Shunui. Even more shocking was the news that the teen's body was deteriorating due to the duties of a shinigami which the boy had taken upon himself complete, and he had not much longer to live. Kyouraku Shunsui was ready to take in his nephew once his body failed him, and had assigned his Vice-Captain the duty of tutoring the boy in the various lessons that a shinigami learned in the academy that the teen had not learned.

* * *

News did not filter over into Hueco Mundo from Soul Society or the Human World easily, as Aizen had very quickly found out, but it was more than simplicity to find a way to transmit information he wanted from across worlds. And it was through that very same method that he learned some very interesting news. The only question was; how could he turn this most recent development to his advantage?

* * *

Ichigo was in the process of being tested in how much of his lessons with Nanao had been retained when the first signs that his illness was much worse than anticipated hit. Ichigo had sparred with Renji before, and taking Zabimaru's hilt to the gut was nothing new to the teen, though the onset of the coughing fit and the splatter of red from his lips to the ground were not.

Shocked silence raced through the audience, and Ukitake winced in sympathy, understanding full well how it felt when the wrong move would render a person helpless. Shunsui placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, his eyes unreadable as he watched Ichigo retch and spit out more blood onto the stadium floor. Renji had jerked back, staring at the teen with something akin to fear while Unohana and Isane darted into the ring to examine the substitute shinigami's health.

The day ended with the remainder of Ichigo's tests being postponed while Ichigo's illness was treated by the Fourth.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, the duration of Ichigo's recovery was spent discussing the pros and cons of each particular choice he could make with not only Unohana or Shunsui, but the Sotaicho. The Sotaicho's presence was not so much a surprise, but the man's insistence that the teen live his human life through most certainly was. Considering that Seireitei was at war and that Ichigo was widely acknowledged, even by the aged Captain-Commander himself, as the person most likely to defeat Aizen, the Sotaicho's stance, one would have expected Yamamoto Genryusei Shigekuni to be all for the teen's making of Seireitei into his permanent residence.

When Kyouraku Shunsui mentioned it in passing, the aged captain gave his student a wry look.

"Kurosaki is a child, Shunsui," the aged captain said, "No matter how powerful a shinigami he is, he is a child with a life ahead of him. I would rather he live that life than throw it away for the dead."

And that was the end of that.

* * *

Three days after his presentation before the Captains of the Gotei 13, Ichigo was officially presented before the nobility of Seireitei as a Son of the House Kyouraku. Byakuya and Rukia's faces were priceless when they realized that of the three brothers, only the youngest, who was Isshin, had sired any sons, and thus Ichigo was automatically Heir of House Kyouraku. Renji's rant when he realized that he was loosing yet another friend to the ranks of the nobility only served to add to Ichigo's amusement.

Despite that, Ichigo was less than pleased with the news, for with the fact that he was the only male Kyouraku Heir meant more lessons would soon be added to his already loaded schedule. Rukia's unrepentant laughter at his glum remark about his schedule made Ichigo wish that his position in Seireitei was still only that of a Human Shinigami so he could growl and sulk, rather than turn his eyes forward and move on, heedless of his friend's gleeful laughter, uncomplaining, and blank faced, as was expected of an Heir to a Noble House. Soi Fong's approving nod when his face went blank and he turned his back on Rukia's laughter and slogged through his studies did not lift his mood any.

* * *

By the end of the week, Ichigo had completed all of his assessment tests and was scheduled to return to the human world. The results would be sent to Shunsui, who would then forward them to Isshin who would pass them on to his son.

* * *

A small russet haired figure rushed through the darkness, her hand clutched in the slender hand of a slightly larger dark haired figure. The russet haired child painfully sucked in her breath as her sister yanked her along the path of the Severing World. The pendant bearing the crest of her father's family bounced against her chest with every step she took, and it was only her sister's grip on her hand kept her from stopping to catch her breath. She didn't dare complain, unsure of what might happen if she asked her sister to let her rest when they needed to get to their uncle and the Healer. What if they were trapped there in the darkness? What would happen to their brother if she and her sister were trapped here? A single crystalline tear shimmered as it slipped down her face and splashed onto the floor behind her as she followed her sister through the darkness, racing as fast as their legs could carry them toward the light that would lead them to their father's elder brother, and hopefully, their brother's continued hold on life.

A Senior Officer's Strategy Meeting was in progress when an unexpected visitor arrived. The unauthorized Senkaimon spat out a pair of girls, one of whom Hitsugaya Toushiro recognized almost immediately.

"Kurosaki?!" the diminutive Captain stared in shock at the middle Kurosaki child, "What are you doing here?!"

"Daddy sent us!" Yuzu said, "He said to find Uncle Shunsui and Lady Unohana because Nii-san won't wake up!"

"What?!" Renji barked. "But Ichigo was just fine when he went through the Senkaimon two weeks ago!"

"A Human Soul does not always immediately reflect the physical illnesses or injuries of a body," Unohana said, "I am assuming that Kurosaki-san's body must have been deteriorating faster with his soul seperating from and rejoining with the body."

"As it is," Yamamoto said, "Unohana-taicho and Kotetsu-Fuku-Taicho, go tend to Kurosaki. Kyoraku-Taicho take your nieces home to rest, and in four hours, escort them through the Senkaimon to their father."

* * *

TBC….

**SanadaSayuri:**** Dun dun dun!! What could have caused this sudden downturn in Ichigo's health? Will Ichigo wake, or has his choice been made for him? Find out next time, on Limitations!**

**Anyway, about BLEACHed Elements… I'm still waiting for a response from Deragonmaji, and knowing what school is like, I'm not gonna pressure her. Updates will continue to be sparse as I have lots of homework and projects to get through, and if rumors are to be believed, Mom and I might be moving again soon. Well, either way, updates will be scarce.**

**Well, I've gotta go. Please leave a review!**


	4. Chapter 3: Ordinance

**Title:** Limitations

**Disclaimer:** The plot and characters of BLEACH is the intellectual property of Tite Kubo. Kunoichi Yumemi has no claim over the characters or plot of BLEACH and makes no profit off this work of fiction.

**Summary: **It was a little known fact that Kurosaki Ichigo's body was weak to begin with. The sudden death of Kurosaki Masaki led a young Ichigo to fight tooth and nail to overcome that weakness so he could protect the people he loved, and by the time he turned fifteen, he had emerged victorious over his body's weakness. And then he met Kuchiki Rukia. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever imagine the long term effect that this meeting with would have on his life…

**Note:** AU. Completely disregards recent chapters of BLEACH.

**A/N:** Wow! I'm really pleased with the turnout for this story! In anycase, unlike many of my other stories, Limitations was never meant to be an epic, and so I am both pleased and sorry to announce that this story is drawing to a close. Including the epilogue and excluding this chapter, we have two more to go! Now, please enjoy the story.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 3

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Renji walked down the street toward the Kurosaki Clinic. The downturn of Ichigo's health had led to calling Inoue Orihime to reject as much of the illness as she possibly could. While the orange haired teen had been stabilized and somewhat recovered, there was still a fear of relapse.

"Oi, Abarai-kun!" a voice barked.

Renji looked up to see Ichigo's father leaning out of his son's window.

"Good afternoon, Kurosaki-san!" Renji called.

"You're here to see Ichigo?"

"Yeah."

"You have good timing! My invalid son's awake! Come on up!"

"Shut up, Goat Face!" Renji blinked as Ichigo's indignant shout was accompanied by a pillow slamming into the back of the former captain's head, sending the man careening out of the window to land face first in the bushes.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Renji had been shocked when he entered the bedroom and laid eyes on his friend. The bedridden part he had been expecting. Unohana had reported that she had suggested plenty of bed rest, and it had been a suggestion that Ishida Ryuuken and Kurosaki Isshin had agreed with. The haggard, pale face was a given, but the sickly thin arms were a sobering surprise. This was one of the most powerful shinigami that Soul Society had ever seen? Was this what the shinigami who had defeated not only Zaraki Kenpachi, but also Kuchiki Byakuya was reduced to?

"You look like shit, Ichigo," the sixth division vice captain said bluntly.

Ichigo gave the shinigami a tired smile. "I feel like it too," he said. "Nice to see you, Renji."

Renji nodded, "Soul Society's in an uproar. Your sisters suddenly rushing into a Senior Officer's Strategy meeting and yelling that you wouldn't wake up was all over the place within the hour. I think it's starting to sink in that you're in a bad way, Ichigo."

Ichigo scoffed. "Shinigami," the teen said, "the dead has got to learn that not everyone in existence is so lucky as to not be subject to human illnesses."

"Oi!" Renji barked. "I'm dead too, you know!"

Ichigo grinned, "Really? I'd never have figured, what with your gigai dropping decaying meat everywhere."

"Why you little…" Renji growled only to find himself on the receiving end of a face full of pillow. "Kurosaki! You're so paying for that!"

"Hey! Ill and dying person here!" Ichigo laughed as Renji grabbed his wrists and proceeded to playfully wrestle him out of the western style bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So, Ichigo," Renji said, "any idea where you might end up?"

Ichigo gave the redhead a wry look. "What gives you the idea that I'm gonna die?"

"Well, I dunno," Renji poked the teen, "Maybe 'cuz you're human? Every meeting, Unohana's been reporting your progress, and it's not looking good."

Ichigo sighed and leaned backward. "That's true," the teen admitted. "If I hadn't put off the decision for so long, Inoue probably could have rejected the entire thing in one go, and now it's progressed to the point where she can only reject a little at a time. We didn't realize that it was so bad until right after dad sent Karin and Yuzu to get Unohana." The teen turned to look out the window. "We all thought that I'd have a little more time…"

"Yeah, that sucks. Well? Where are you going to go after this?"

Ichigo shrugged. "Dad said to take whatever the Sotaicho offered."

Renji blinked. "You know, lots of people are real eager to get you in their division."

"And like most people without enough work to keep busy, you lot are betting on the outcome."

"Damn right!" A pause… "Hey…"

Ichigo grinned and said lightly, "Oh, hey there, Byakuya!"

"Wha?!" Renji spun around and cast about frantically. After a moment, he turned back and scowled at Ichigo who broke out in gales of laughter. "That was mean, Ichigo. Real mean. Haha, laugh it up Ichigo. I'll get you yet."

And Ichigo laughed harder.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Ugh… Sorry about this, Inoue," Ichigo muttered, taking long, slow breaths to keep from coughing.

"It's alright, Kurosaki-kun," Inoue said, "It's not your fault you're sick."

"But I shouldn't have to bug you for treatment the way I do," the teen complained.

"No," Inoue agreed, "you shouldn't, but I _want_ to help you Kurosaki-kun." The glowing golden dome vanished. "There," Inoue said, "All done, at least for today."

"Orihime," the little blonde fairy floated up in front of the teen, "We can't keep doing this."

"Shun-o?" Inoue said, "What do you mean?"

"He's getting worse," Shun-o said, "and it's getting harder and harder to hold back the damage the illness is causing. Eventually, we'll have to either heal everything at once, or just leave the illness to run its course."

"Oh no…" Inoue glanced over at Ichigo who was watching the two of them with an unreadable look in his eyes.

"Let's not forget that he's part shinigami," Shun-o said. "There's no guarantee that the illness won't transfer over."

A pair of calloused hands closed gently around Shun-o, who squeaked in surprise.

"Thanks for the concern, little one," Ichigo said.

"Um… No problem?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ichigo kept his breathing slow and even to stave off the cough that was growing in his chest. It was sad, he thought, that even the simple act of walking was becoming a chore because of this illness. He paused in front of the door that led to his father's study, and swallowed hard.

"_This is ridiculous!"_ the two toned voice of his hollow said, _"You can take on hollows, and Arrancar and shinigami captains, but you can't tell your father how you want this all to end? Whatever happened to your backbone, King?"_

Shut up, Ichigo shot back mentally, and knocked. The door swung open to reveal Isshin, who stared at his son with unreadable eyes.

"Dad," Ichigo said, "We need to talk."

Isshin nodded, and stepped out of the doorway, allowing his son to enter the study.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was a surprise when yet another Senior Officer's meeting was interrupted, this time, not by a pair of frantic children desperate for their brother, but by a broken hearted father.

"Isshin?" Shunsui broke ranks to put his arms around his brother and guide him from the back of the room, where the unauthorized Senkaimon had opened, to the massive doors that served as the general entrance to the majority of the Gotei 13. "What's wrong?" he asked, though he suspected he already knew if the dark circles under his brother's eyes were any indication.

The former Captain drew in a shaky breath and said, "He's decided." Isshin turned toward Byakuya and said, "And he wants to speak with you."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kuchiki Byakuya frowned as he exited the Senkaimon in front of the Kurosaki family domicile. He simply could not fathom why the Representative Shinigami would want to see him, especially considering that neither of them seemed to be able to get along very well. He lifted his hand to knock, only for the door to swing open to reveal the orange haired teen. The dark haired noble was shocked to see the dark circles under the teen's eyes, and his pale skin and the way his clothes hung loosely from his frame. The teen had lost quite a bit of weight since the discovery of his illness. Byakuya found himself uncomfortably reminded of Hisana as she wasted away from grief and illness and felt his heart clench painfully. He had never been particularly fond of the boy, but to see his strength reduced to such a condition…

It was unsettling… Sad… Painful, even.

The corners of Ichigo's lips turned up in a tired smile. "Yo."

Byakuya frowned. "Should you even be up?"

The teen shrugged, "Might as well. It's only a matter of time before it's no longer a viable option."

Byakuya suddenly found himself thrusting the teen down onto one couches by the shoulder in the sitting room just beyond the domicile's entrance hall and draping one of the blankets that had been flung over the back of the couch over the teen's shoulders.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Almost two hours later, Kuchiki Byakuya swept into the Kuchiki Estate and barricaded himself in his sleeping chambers. Confused and surprised, the next morning the servants would whisper quietly about finding the two empty jugs that once contained the strongest sake on the market in his room after the noble had left for work.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kyouraku Shunsui stood in the doorway of his nephew's bedroom, watching as the moonlight spilled through the window over the pallid face which reminded him painfully of Ukitake Jyuushiro whenever his tuberculosis got the best of him. How often had he visited his old friend in his sickbed during the two thousand years that he's known him? Many, many times. And now, he was doing the same for his nephew. The eighth division captain hoped fervently that he would not have to continue this after the boy's body expired. He didn't think that he could handle it if Ichigo's illness ended up transferring over to his spirit form. Shunsui quietly closed the door and crossed the hallway to his nieces' shared room, and opened the door. Karin and Yuzu had curled up on Karin's bed, their faces close together, clinging to each other, as if fearful of loosing the other sibling the way they were loosing their brother. Shunsui closed the door and made his way toward the stairs. He stood at the foot of the stairs and looked toward the living room where Isshin sat in front of the television, staring morosely into a cup of sake.

"Six years," Isshin said quietly, "Masaki died for him, and bought him only six years…"

"Six years is better than nothing," Shunsui said, "At least you got to see the type of person he'd grow up to be. Some parents don't even get that luxury."

"I didn't think I'd loose him so soon," the retired captain whispered.

"His death won't be the end of everything. You know that you can always see him in Soul Society."

"It won't be the same as having him under the same roof. And if Kisuke's invention doesn't work?"

"Kisuke's been your friend for years," Shunsui said, "Have a little faith in him."

Isshin turned and gave his brother a reproachful look. "I would, but it's a little difficult to do so while it is my son's memories on the line."

Shunsui sighed and tilted his head back to look up at the ceiling, beyond which, a little past where he stood, his nephew lay in bed even as his illness consumed him. His heart clenched painfully. He had always known that for Isshin, a third son in a lesser noble family, there was very little. This quaint little house and those three children was all Isshin had to show for his hard work and now his firstborn and only son was dying. Isshin had been slated to inherit very little from the beginning, and as the son of the third son, Ichigo's inheritance as a scion of House Kyouraku may as well be nonexistent. The most he would get from the family would be a place to lie down and sleep, provided that he didn't do something stupid that would end in his being disowned. Whatever Ichigo wanted, he would have to, like his father, earn it with his own two hands.

"He'll be fine," Shunsui said with more confidence than he felt. "Ichigo is strong, and he's not afraid of a little hard work. Even if he forgets, he'll find a way to get his memories back himself. It's simply the way he is."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tousen Kaname stepped out of the Garganta and allowed his Reiryoku to give him a sense of the boy whose labored breathing could be heard not too far from in front of him. It seemed improbable that one as powerful as Kurosaki Ichigo was dying, for even in illness, the sheer volume of his reiryoku was jaw dropping.

Despite his misgivings, Tousen stepped forward to complete his mission. Aizen believed that if the boy's connection to his body was severed in Hueco Mundo, his inner hollow would leap to the very forefront while the boy's consciousness would be pushed to the back, and the resultant hollow could be converted into an Arrancar. Aizen had every intention of having an Espada with Kurosaki Ichigo's face and powers, and what Aizen wanted, he would have.

"Forgive me," Tousen murmured, "You should be dying with family and friends around you, but now you will die among enemies to become the one to kill those you loved…"

He picked up the child, whose breaths came easier as his head and shoulders were elevated, and his eyelids fluttered, but did not open. The Garganta opened just as Kurosaki Isshin and Kyouraku Shunsui flung Ichigo's bedroom door open.

"Ichigo!"

A weak noise left the ill teen's lips, though he did not wake. Tousen's grip on the child tightened slightly as the Garganta closed behind them, cutting off the boy from the sound of his father's voice.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

TBC….

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**SanadaSayuri:**** Uh oh….**

**Ichigo: Ok, first I'm shot, then I'm nearly smothered, then I'm tricked into leading a small nation for a revolution, then I'm dying from some physical deficiency, and now I'm kidnapped? Do you have something against me, woman?!**

**SS: Umm… Sorry, Ichigo. Plot device.**

**Ichigo: -glowers— Not good enough. Try again.**

**SS: Eep! –hides—**

**Anyway, about BLEACHed Elements… I'm still waiting for a response from Deragonmaji. Well, either way, updates will be scarce. Please leave a review!**


	5. Chapter 4: Change

**Title:** Limitations

**Disclaimer:** The plot and characters of BLEACH is the intellectual property of Tite Kubo. Kunoichi Yumemi has no claim over the characters or plot of BLEACH and makes no profit off this work of fiction.

**Summary: **It was a little known fact that Kurosaki Ichigo's body was weak to begin with. The sudden death of Kurosaki Masaki led a young Ichigo to fight tooth and nail to overcome that weakness so he could protect the people he loved, and by the time he turned fifteen, he had emerged victorious over his body's weakness. And then he met Kuchiki Rukia. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever imagine the long term effect that this meeting with would have on his life…

**Note:** AU. Completely disregards recent chapters of BLEACH.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 4

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Yamamoto-Genryuusei Shigekuni was an old man, and like any other old man, he liked his sleep, and everyone knew it. His two favorite students knew better than anyone that waking the old man was undeniably difficult, and even if it was managed, it had better be important or they would be meeting the sharp end of the Captain-Commander's Zanpakuto. Yamamoto had been awakened by Kurosaki Isshin and Kyoraku Shunsui, and it was only their frightened and distressed reiatsu washing over him in turbulent waves that kept him from giving them a new bodily orifice and burning them to a crisp. It only took him moments to interpret the two sibling's frightened and angry words, though it required some effort as both men were talking over each other, and immediately sent them both to call an emergency meeting.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"We cannot allow the child to remain in Hueco Mundo at the moment of his death," Yamamoto said, "The possibility of his hollow taking over while in a place where it will have an advantage is too great. Even if it were not so, we cannot allow Aizen to have Kurosaki Ichigo's power. As such, a force must enter Hueco Mundo to retrieve the boy."

"Translation:" Zaraki Kenpachi muttered, "Kurosaki Isshin and Kyouraku Shunsui dead scary where their flesh and blood are concerned and are members of the same noble house and if it gets out that Ichigo was left in Aizen's hands in his current condition, Yamamoto will be in deep shit and Isshin will probably find a way to get the old man dragged up in front of the living world's authorities for child endangerment."

Soi Fong couldn't help the amused smirk and Hitsugaya snorted. Ukitake faked a cough to cover his laughter, Byakuya's lips twitched, Kurotsuchi out and out grinned, and Unohana's smile widened a tiny bit. Yamamoto gave the Eleventh Division Captain an annoyed look even as Komamura flicked an ear and a low rumble of laughter came from his throat. Shunsui rolled his eyes, feeling some of the tension leave his shoulders. So perhaps the joke was not the best one, but certainly, it had come at a good time. At least now they would be planning Ichigo's retrieval with clearer heads than when the announcement had been made. It would also explain why the aged Captain-Commander had not reprimanded the wayward Eleventh Division Captain yet.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ichigo woke suddenly as a cough caught in his throat, and cool hands lifted him as the teen felt something viscous and somewhat liquid rising in his throat. A small basin was moved in front of him and he spat, only slightly concerned to see that whatever it was, it was flecked with redness. Then there was some pressure in the back of his neck, and he only had a moment to realize that he was in a lab of some sort and definitely not in his father's house when everything went dark again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Byakuya hated Hueco Mundo. It had been difficult enough getting out of the twilit world the first time around, even then, it had been a close call. It had been sheer luck that they had all happened to gather at the tower where Inoue Orihime had been held, and for Kurotsuchi to realize that there was nothing to block the opening of a Senkaimon or garganta in that chamber. Otherwise, it was very likely that they would not have escaped at all. He frowned at the fortress that loomed out of the sand, the white walls reflecting the moonlight coldly, and snuck a glance at Isshin, whose scowl was nearly as cold as the fortress they stood in sight of.

"He'll be alright," Byakuya attempted to reassure his senior, "Kurosaki is foolish, but not stupid. And even if something happens, he should know that he has friends who won't stand by while he is in Aizen's hands."

Isshin gave Byakuya a bland look and said, "And if it is an Arrancar wearing his face that we meet?"

Byakuya closed his eyes and said as calmly as he could, "Though it will not be necessary, if it comes to it, I will do as Kurosaki requested of me."

Isshin gave the raven haired noble a hard look. He had known from the beginning what his son had requested, and had understood why Ichigo had chosen Byakuya. But despite all of that, the third Kyouraku son could not help but resent the Kuchiki. He knew that Byakuya's Zanpakuto gave the noble an advantage over Ichigo, whose Zangetsu was only one blade, and Byakuya was much, much faster than Ichigo and had many more years experience, not to mention that Ichigo's kido was adequate at best, poor at worst, and Byakuya was well known for his own proficiency in Kido, and thus, the noble would be more likely to defeat the hollow if something were to happen. Isshin also knew that he was more than likely to freeze at a crucial moment than Byakuya, but still he was displeased over the fact that Ichigo had trusted the purification of his soul to Kuchiki Byakuya who had tried to kill the teen no less than three times. But it was his son's dying wish, so who were the two nobles to refuse the child?

"He trusts you more than I believe he should," Isshin said dryly, "But I'll entrust my son to you for this. But if a single hair on his head is unnecessarily harmed…"

Byakuya resisted the urge to wince. Why, oh _why_ had he been the one gifted with the Zanpakuto that could give him an advantage over the boy, hollow or no, and why had the boy chosen to use that brain of his just as he was dying when he'd never used it before in the past? He pushed the petulant thought away and nodded briskly in acknowledgement of Isshin's unspoken promise. Isshin snorted and looked away.

The dark haired noble gave his vice-captain a nod, and Renji muttered into his communicator, and a wave of black marked here and there by white standards bearing the division symbols and numbers poured into Hueco Mundo. It was an impressive sight to see as a sea of shinigami began their march across the desert landscape to retrieve one of their own.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In his fortress, Aizen's head jerked up as his attention abruptly shifted from his paperwork to the sudden weight of hundreds of powerful reiatsu aimed directly at his fortress. He had considered many consequences to taking the ill child, but he had dismissed many of them as improbable and whimsical. Never had he ever given any serious consideration to the fact that Seireitei would be furious enough actively _invade_ Hueco Mundo! But no, the familiar reiatsu of the captains of the Gotei 13 said otherwise, and the inclusion of several retired captains brought the traitor to consider that perhaps stealing the boy from his father's own house had not been a very good idea in the least. But that was not what he was focused on. He had to defend his fortress; he needed to move the boy. He didn't care if his Espada died, he could make more, but he could not let this potential new weapon escape!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The army had not gone far before they were attacked by both hollows and Arrancar. Immediately, captains and vice-captains split away from the main group to take on the Espada while other officers and unseated officers dealt with the lesser Arrancar and miscellaneous hollows. The Captains themselves were preoccupied with the Espada and the two defected captains.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Aizen stalked down the halls of Las Noches toward Sezyal's lab as quickly as he could without outright running. He had been content to allow the boy to die in his own time, but there was no more time for waiting. He needed the boy to die _now_, and for the hollow to take over _now_, because he needed a powerful Arrancar who would make the Gotei 13 pause and he needed to convert the boy into an Arrancar immediately or the chance would be lost. Aizen had the full weight of the Gotei 13's fury aimed at him, and he was going to take every advantage he had, and achieve his goals. He _would_ have Kurosaki Ichigo as one of his Espada, and no one, not even all the Captains of the Gotei 13 would stop him.

He pulled up short as the boy's reiatsu, for the past day, had been weak and fluctuating as his illness consumed him, suddenly shifted, swelled, and exploded in a massive wave over the fortress. He laughed and started forward again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Umm… King?_

**Ichigo…**

What?

_Isn't it 'bout time ya woke up?_

What?

**We cannot lie here and wait to be rescued. You still have some strength. Will you not fight back?**

_C'mon, King. Let's give 'em hell! Now's gonna be the last time ya can pull crazy shit and get nothing more than a scolding and a slap on the wrist!_

Guys, I'm really tired.

**We know, but this may well be your last chance to fight Aizen on your own terms. Once your body dies, you'll be fighting on the Sotaicho's terms. Will you not exert your will while you still have the chance?**

_If ya ain't gonna do anything, then I will, King._

All right! I'm up! I'm up! Geez, for a horse and a sword the two of you sure are bossy.

_Only 'cuz you're lookin' kinda pathetic just lyin' there, King._

Chocolate colored eyes cracked open.

A pink haired Arrancar entered in time to see the teen lever himself into a sitting position, taking long, slow breaths to keep from coughing. Then, a massive wave of reiatsu crashed over Sezyal Apporo Granz, driving him to his knees as he struggled to draw breath, and eradicating his fraccion by sheer pressure alone.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Shinigami, sensing the surge in the teen's reiatsu, increased both their pace and the ferocity of their fight. There was only so long that Ichigo could maintain that huge storm of reiatsu in his condition before his body gave out on him, and they had every intention of reaching the boy before that happened and the Arrancar moved him out of their reach.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Aizen smirked as he drew nearer to the labs. The closer he got, the more intense the boy's spiritual pressure became. Truly the boy was a magnificent specimen of a shinigami-hollow hybrid. The door swung open and Aizen staggered slightly as the full blast of the teen's reiatsu was no longer held back by the net of spirit blocking stone that was imbedded in the door. He held back an exhilarated laugh.

"How long do you think you can hold that pressure up boy?" Aizen said.

The teen's only reply came in the form of a massively overcharged _shakkoho_.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Outside of Las Noches was pandemonium. Ukitake repressed a cough as he cut through a hollow and turned to take the report from the hell butterfly that fluttered down toward him. _Hold on, Ichigo-kun_, he thought fiercely as he felt the teen's power swell and a massive explosion blew out one of Las Noche's towers, _Help's on the way…_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Aizen couldn't help the smile that crossed his lips. The boy, ill and exhausted as he was, took every advantage he possessed, and though he was outmatched, still fought furiously. An overcharged _shakkoho_ had destroyed a good portion of Sezyal's lab and Sezyal himself. Aizen leisurely drew Kyoka Suigetsu even as the teen called upon his hollow and zanpakuto. The boy's powers, having been unleashed in their entirety, were intoxicating.

Another overpowered _shakkoho_ hit the ground between them, throwing up dust and debris as a smokescreen, and Aizen smirked as he felt the teen's reiatsu fluctuate as the boy shunpoed away. The traitor shifted, then _moved_.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Outside, the fighting paused as another part of Las Noches blew outward in a spectacular explosion, immediately followed by a quick up swelling of Ichigo's powers. Seconds later, another explosion occurred, and then Ichigo's powers dropped.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"And where," he said conversationally, amused by the widening of the teen's eyes, and the quick, shallow breaths the boy was taking in his effort to stave off a coughing fit, "did you think you were going? Do you really think you can outrun me in my own fortress?"

Aizen found he had to evade the Getsuga Tenshou the boy threw at him, and the angle and speed of the attack meant that Aizen had to stop and move backwards to avoid being hit. Not to say the former captain couldn't block the attack, he just didn't want to.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The moon moved overhead, and Byakuya finally cut down the Espada he faced. Renji gave him a tight nod and a curt reply as the sixth division captain left his subordinates under his vice-captain's care, and left to rescue an ill substitute shinigami. The noble remembered the teen's father's unspoken threat and quickened his pace. How he hoped that nothing would happen that would necessitate having Kyouraku Kurosaki Isshin follow through on his threat from earlier. Of course, that meant reaching Ichigo before he did something stupid, and Las Noches was still quite a ways away. Byakuya would never openly admit it, but that man, when angry as he was now, _frightened_ him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He was weakened by his illness, and yet his power didn't change, and his fighting skills were as fierce as before his illness had been discovered. The addition of kido and the refining of the teen's shunpo and his zanjutsu had done wonders for his combat capabilities. The hollow's power doubled that combat capability, and somewhere along the lines, the boy had developed some strategic and tactical senses, and his newly refined reiryoku control increased his capabilities just a little bit more. Aizen all but salivated at the thought of the strength of the Arrancar that could be developed from the boy's combat capabilities. He simply couldn't wait.

The former captain disappeared and reappeared and Ichigo collapsed as blood sprayed from the wound that ran across his chest.

"Don't worry," Aizen said, "Hollowfication doesn't hurt one bit. And the sequence to convert a hollow into an Arrancar is only a little uncomfortable."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Byakuya pushed himself to move faster as he sensed Ichigo's reiatsu fading. The teen's supercharged kido had Marked approximately where he was in Las Noches, but his fading aura was the only guide Byakuya had, and the noble knew without a doubt that he was racing against time as he sensed the child's reiatsu shifting and fading. Dear god, he hoped he made it in time, because skilled as he was, Byakuya doubted that he would be able to stand his ground against both Kurosaki Isshin and Kyouraku Shunsui.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

How can it end like this?

_Hang on, King! Help's on the way!_

**Be strong, Ichigo.**

_One more attack, King! Take my power! Hurry!_

**We are here.**

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Isshin cut apart his opponent and looked toward Las Noches, where he felt his son's reiatsu fading even as it spiked and another explosion demolished yet another part of the white fortress.

"Bring him back, Byakuya," he whispered. "Keep him safe."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast!" he whispered, shielding his attack under the pretense of struggling back to his feet, channeling as much of his reiatsu as quickly and subtly as he could, "Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle!" It was all he could do to shift just enough so he could aim the gathered energy at Aizen. "Hadô Rokujuusan: _Raikoho_!"

Aizen blinked as the hado hit him full on.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

That's right, Kurosaki, Byakuya thought as he turned another corner even as he felt the teen's reiatsu pulse, Keep fighting. Give me something to trace you by, and don't give him a chance to convert you into a hollow.

The noble turned a corner and pressed himself against a wall just in time to avoid the blast that sped past him, smashing through the walls. Once the blast had faded, he stepped through the opening made by the teen's overcharged _raikoho_. As he made his way toward the collapsed teenager, he was peripherally aware that Aizen was likely buried under the debris he was walking over. He was much too busy marveling at how the teen could still manage to overcharge his kido when anyone else in his position would be lucky to be able to be able to form a functional _sokatsui_.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Darkness was creeping over his senses even as warm arms clothed in black picked up the bleeding and exhausted teen. Ichigo tilted his head back and tired chocolate eyes met with cool slate eyes.

"I can stand," Ichigo said once he was sure he wouldn't break into a coughing fit.

"You are exhausted," Byakuya said calmly. "Rest."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Aizen hauled himself out of the debris, shaking his head slightly, an amused smile on his face. Really, weak and dying as he was, the teen's spirit was quite admirable. He walked over the large hole in the side of his fortress and looked out after the pair of shinigami rushing out toward the sea of black clad shinigami in the distance. Very well. He would cede this battle over to Seireitei for now. There would be other chances to get what he wanted, and less costly ways to achieve his goals.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So they all just backed off?"

It was two days since Ichigo had been rescued and Renji had just finished telling Ichigo about the battle. The teen looked concerned.

"Most of the Arrancar were defeated, and a good number of the hollows, but yes, basically whoever was left just turned and ran," the redheaded vice-captain confirmed.

"That's not right…" the teen's musing was cut off as a coughing fit descended on the teen, and his ribs appeared to rattle even as his entire body shook. Though it seemed to have become a normal occurrence, the orange haired teen never missed how the shinigami around them winced and looked away, Renji among them.

Almost immediately, Unohana swooped down on the teen, and Isane shooed the Sixth Division's Vice-Captain away. Renji gave Ichigo an apologetic look as he left and the teen responded with a wry smile.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Almost a week after Ichigo woke up in the Fourth Division, he was sent home. His father hovered and Byakuya somehow managed to seamlessly blend into the daily life in the Kurosaki Clinic. Isshin had even arranged for an extra bed to be put in Ichigo's room so Byakuya could keep an eye on the teen.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Time passed. Having been bedridden since his health took a sharp downturn after his return from Seireitei---having his body converted from flesh and blood to spirit particles and back apparently didn't agree with him---the Ichigo and Byakuya somehow struck up a strange friendship that revolved around sarcastic wit, dry humor, and prodding one another until one or both snapped. During that time, Ichigo found that he was sharing more about himself with Byakuya than he'd ever shared with anyone else, and vice-versa, and Byakuya realized that Ichigo, despite how brash and hotheaded he seemed actually tended to over think things before acting and was capable of staying still in companionable silence. Both realized that they were more similar than they thought, and so the teasing and dry humor that would have normally sent one or the other into fits of fury, actually gained sarcastic and witty rejoinders that ultimately ended in amusement for the pair, and confusion for everyone else. Needless to say, time passed quickly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kuchiki Byakuya woke up one morning two months after Ichigo's rescue from Hueco Mundo to realize that his roommate's reiatsu was dangerously low and fading fast.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

TBC….

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**SanadaSayuri:**** One more chapter to go!**

**Anyway, about BLEACHed Elements… I'm still waiting for a response from Deragonmaji. Well, either way, updates will be scarce. Please leave a review!**


	6. Epilogue

**Title:** Limitations

**Disclaimer:** The plot and characters of BLEACH is the intellectual property of Tite Kubo. Kunoichi Yumemi has no claim over the characters or plot of BLEACH and makes no profit off this work of fiction.

**Summary: **It was a little known fact that Kurosaki Ichigo's body was weak to begin with. The sudden death of Kurosaki Masaki led a young Ichigo to fight tooth and nail to overcome that weakness so he could protect the people he loved, and by the time he turned fifteen, he had emerged victorious over his body's weakness. And then he met Kuchiki Rukia. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever imagine the long term effect that this meeting with would have on his life…

**Note:** AU. Completely disregards recent chapters of BLEACH.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Epilogue

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I'm actually surprised that the hollow didn't attempt to take over."

Ichigo smiled weakly at his friend as the raven haired noble supported the teen down toward the Forth Division Hospice. "I am as well," he admitted, "But Zangetsu believes it's because I gave him a name to mark him not as a horse, but rather as a partner."

Slate gray eyes stared incredulously at the orange haired teen. "You named your _hollow_?!"

"His name is Hiei," Ichigo said, "If only because he's been pretty constant since everything happened. That, and for the longest time, he was the only reason that I kept a cool head in Las Noches much less survived everything that freak put me through."

"I find it hard to believe that you giving it—him—a name might stop the hollow's natural tendencies."

Ichigo surveyed Byakuya with contemplative eyes. "I thought you would be happy you didn't need to fight, much less kill us."

"I am," Byakuya said, "I'm simply having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that your hollow didn't try to take over was because you gave it—gave him—a name."

The gate leading to the courtyard of the Fourth Division swung open and Unohana stepped out and smiled at the two shinigami.

"Ah, Kuchiki-taicho, Kurosaki-san. Good afternoon."

"Afternoon," Ichigo said, awkwardly Byakuya inclined his head toward the Fourth Division Captain silently.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Well then, Kurosaki-san," Unohana stripped off her gloves and smiled at Ichigo, "while your illness did transfer over to your spirit form, there isn't enough damage to be overly concerned. It will take a bit of treatment to cleanse your soul of the illness and heal the residual damage, but once it is gone, you should not have to be worried about a relapse. For now, however, I would like for you to report to me once a week just in case."

Ichigo nodded and stood up. There was a knock and the door slid open to reveal Kyouraku Shunsui.

"Yo."

Ichigo inclined his head slightly, just about all the formality that this particular uncle would allow his own flesh and blood display toward him.

"Uncle."

"Kyouraku-taicho." Unohana nodded.

"So everything's alright?"

"As I was telling Kurosaki-san," Unohana said, "Some of the illness has transferred over, and it will take a few treatments to cleanse the last vestiges of the illness and heal all the damage. Afterward, unless Kurosaki-san spends an extended amount of time in a gigai, there should be no fear of relapse."

"Phew! That's good to hear," Shunsui grinned. "Now if you don't mind, Unohana, I'm going to show my nephew around his new home."

The healer smiled. "Of course."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ichigo turned left, right, and another left, and noting a familiar face through one of the windows, took the initiative and jumped. He had passed through the window to land at Byakuya's feet as the noble calmly closed the window, shutting out the sounds of screaming fangirls and fanboys. The raven haired captain turned and raised an eyebrow at the teen.

"Long day?"

Ichigo groaned. "Rukia and Rangiku always go one about how popular I am, but I never thought they were being _serious_!"

Byakuya smirked. "Welcome to Seireitei."

"Fuck you."

"You're rather young."

"I didn't mean it that way!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Congratulations on becoming Captain."

"Thanks."

"Now you will officially be drowned in paperwork and incompetent subordinates."

"Yay."

"Don't forget having to break up make out sessions in the supply closets, walking in on your officers in some of the strangest positions, having subordinates offer sexual favors to get out of their duties, having no free time, and having quite literally no privacy."

"Thank you for ruining my shining moment of triumph, Byakuya."

The only response is a smug smirk.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Three Years Later…**

"It is done. Please have the Fourth Division ready. Kurosaki is in need medical attention."

"Both of us, Byakuya, the both of us need medical attention."

"Don't push it, Kurosaki."

Ichigo let out a bark of laughter that tapered off into a coughing fit and groaned as he spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Damn," he muttered, "And here I was hoping we'd seen the last of the bloody spit-ups that have nothing to do with internal bleeding."

"You insisted on spending a year in the gigai."

"It was necessary!"

"And incredibly foolish."

"Are you done? 'Cuz I think I could use some support when my Uncle and Father are done with me."

Byakuya released a silent sigh and reached down and dragged the new Fifth Division Captain friend to his feet. The two proceeded to stagger out of the ruined halls of Las Noches. "You owe me."

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"Kurosaki-taicho!"

Ichigo staggered as Byakuya stepped away from him and grunted as the petite form of his Vice-Captain slammed into him, throwing slender arms around his waist.

"You're alright!"

"Hinamori," Ichigo grunted, "That hurts…"

"Oh!" Hinamori leapt back, twisting the sleeve of her shihakusho worriedly, "Sorry."

"You should have hugged him harder," Byakuya said calmly. "The idiot learns best through pain after all."

"Byakuya, you bastard!"

Hinamori smiled sweetly at her new Captain. "Don't worry, Kurosaki-taicho," she said, "I'll take good care of you!" And she hugged the orange haired shinigami again.

Ichigo bit the inside of his cheek to keep from screaming as Hinamori dug a fist into one of the wounds on his back. Beside him, Byakuya smirked.

_What a way to be thanked for getting rid of Aizen, eh, Aibou?_

Why don't you swap with me and deal with having a sadistic bitch "accidentally" grind her fist into one of your injuries on the orders of another captain, Hiei?

_Nah, that's what you're there for. To deal with the pain that comes with dealing with other people on a metaphysical level._

Bastard!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I have good news and bad news."

"Bad news first please, Unohana-taicho."

"Of course, Kurosaki-taicho. The bad news is; the illness is now here to stay."

"And the good news?"

"Unless you do something stupid or overexert yourself, the illness will not progress, and given time and proper treatment and care, the illness might regress."

"Dad's so gonna kill me."

"No doubt." Unohana gave the young captain a hard look. "What you did was very foolish. Any longer in that gigai, and you would have been consumed, and this time, there would have been no going back."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Four years later…**

"Kurosaki."

"Oh, hey, Toushiro." The brush didn't stop its steady movement across the paper.

"…"

"What? No "That's Hitsugaya-Taicho!" today?" The completed paperwork was set aside so the ink could dry, and a new piece of paperwork was pulled forward.

"I would like to ask you a question."

"Ask away." The brush dipped gently into the inkwell in a graceful movement gained from the friendship with a particular Sixth Division Captain.

"I would like to marry your sister."

"Oh, was that all? And here I was… Wait…" Hitsugaya tensed as he watched the youngest of the Captains tense and the brush pause above the signature line of the next piece of paperwork. "What was that?"

The white haired captain shifted in preparation of fleeing his fellow captain's office. "I said I would like your permission to marry Kurosaki Karin."

"…" Hitsugaya watched as the brush descended and gentle strokes applied the Fifth Division Captain's signature and the brush was set gently aside. The Tenth Division Captain swallowed hard as he watched his former Captain's son lace his fingers together, set his elbows on the desk, and solemn chocolate colored eyes surveyed him from above his laced fingers. For a brief moment, Hitsugaya Toushiro felt as if he was a new recruit who had just made a blunder worthy of being dragged before his Captain. Then the moment passed, and it was Kurosaki Ichigo sitting there, surveying him, and not his father, though the resemblance at the moment was uncanny. "Let me get this straight. You want to marry my little sister. Not just any of my sisters, but Karin."

"Yes."

"I see."

Silence.

"Kurosaki?"

"Yes?"

"May I?"

"I will consider it."

"Alright."

Hitsugaya left the office and once the door was closed behind him, he winced at the sound of something shattering. The ice wielder all but ran out of the Fifth Division Headquarters.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Pst! Kurosaki!"

"For the thirtieth time this week, Hitsugaya, I will consider your request! Ask me again, and just to spite you, I'll forbid you from so much as _seeing_ my sister much less marrying her!"

A hush fell over the chamber and the assembled captains stared at the tenth and fifth division captains.

A quiet snicker emerged, followed by a cough. Then the chamber was silent.

"The pipsqueak really likes your sister, huh, Ichigo?"

"Butt out, Kenpachi."

"Aww…" Ukitake grinned, "Our little Shiro-kun's growing up!"

"That's not funny, Ukitake," Hitsugaya growled.

"Hitsugaya-taicho," the Sotaicho's gruff voice said.

"Yes, Sotaicho?"

"Is Kurosaki-san pregnant?"

Ichigo choked and Hitsugaya's cheeks burned. "No sir."

"She had better not be," the orange haired captain muttered, "or you are so dead."

"In that case," the aged captain commander said, "Consider this. When requesting permission from a relative of a young lady for her hand in marriage, should the young lady's relative decide that they will consider the suit, time for clear thought and consideration of the suit is a requirement. Continuous requests will give the impression of being overly hasty, and is a definite way to have the suit turned down."

"Yes sir."

"Very well," the captain commander said, "That will be all for today."

Hitsugaya flashstepped out of the meeting chamber his face burning with humiliation. Ichigo scowled as various captains surrounded him. The orange haired captain would spend the rest of the day fielding proclamations of the tenth division captain's honor and how he was bound to treat his intended bride well, and so on. To his horror, not even his office would be safe as his own vice-captain would be the most persistent and vocal of those asserting Hitsugaya's worthiness to marry Ichigo's younger sister.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Just cut him to ribbons and have done with it, Ichigo. I know you've already made up your mind to let them marry."

"It's not that easy! It's like if Renji were to ask you if he could marry Rukia!"

"Funny. I thought it would be you."

"Rukia and I don't have that sort of relationship. It would be as if I was marrying my own sister and you know it. And it's not me we're talking about, but Hitsugaya and Karin."

"You wouldn't call him by anything other than his given name since your first meeting, and now he's just Hitsugaya. You really are furious, aren't you?"

"You would be too; if some silly upstart thought he was good enough for your sister."

"Ichigo."

"Fine! I'll beat the shit out of the little snot and give him what he wants. But if he makes her cry, I reserve the right to kill him."

"No one would stop you, Ichigo. And even if anyone had the strength to do so, no one would dare. Practically all of Seireitei knows how much stronger your anger makes you."

Byakuya tried not to wince as Ichigo turned toward him, and it was the Hollow that was looking out at him. "And I intend to take advantage of it. I'm gonna make the little twerp squirm and bleed before I let him have my sister."

Then the fifth division captain left.

Byakuya wondered if he should warn Hitsugaya about the overprotective Vizard who was out for his blood. Then he thought about Rukia, and shrugged. Tormenting a younger sister's suitor was the older brother's privilege, and he certainly wasn't going to take it from Ichigo.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**1 year later…**

"It's a lovely wedding. Hitsugaya-taicho certainly went all out."

"He had better. What my sister wants, Hitsugaya had better bend over backwards to give her."

"Aren't you being a little harsh, Ichigo?"

"No, and you should know better than anyone that being happy for the sister and snarky to the groom is a brother's privilege, Byakuya. Hell, you do the same to Renji."

"Oh, Ichigo…"

"Well, at least there's always Yuzu…"

"In that case, Ichigo, don't look to the terrace."

"Wha?"

"Don't look!"

"What! What does that punk think he's doing! Jinta! Keep your lips off my sister!"

Byakuya sighed and sipped his champagne. The boy was incorrigible.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Fin.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**SanadaSayuri:**** hah! Limitations is now over!**

**Ichigo: Well, at least it wasn't just me being tortured in this chapter.**

**Hitsugaya: --glares—I have never been so humiliated in my life!**

**Byakuya: I am curious what happened to the boy that was kissing Yuzu-san.**

**Ichigo: Hmm… Good question. Hey author lady!**

**SS: I have a name you know.**

**Ichigo: Whatever. So what happened to Jinta?**

**SS: How else do most big brothers react when they see their little sisters being kissed?**

**Byakuya: Release their shikai and cut them down?**

**SS: If that's the typical reaction of an older brother to a suitor, I'm glad I'm an only child.**

**Ichigo: Hey! We're not that bad!**

**SS: Uhhuh. The story's over. Now get off the stage! I need it for some other stuff.**

**Everyone: --scrambles to get off--**


End file.
